Tag Archives: childrens music.

We’re excited to share news of a great new day and a great way to bring the family or community together – through music! Check out this guest post from the good folks at Play Music on the Porch Day.

What if for one day everything stopped…and we all just listened to the music?

Imagine, if you can, one day where the sounds of arguments and fighting are replaced with sounds of unity.

One day where those who normally build walls against each other, instead build bridges; note by note. One day where common ground can be found regardless of your race, religion, culture or differences. For there is a sound that rises above it all. One day where language is not a barrier. For, what is being communicated transcends our many different languages and each person feels in their heart what is understood by all.

A day where all can find shelter, unity and a greater understanding of each other. Where we can celebrate the diverse sounds our world holds. Play Music on the Porch Day is offering a platform to do just that. We believe everyone has their own unique sound, let the world hear it.

Join us and share your music and let yourself shine! Together we can light up the world with music!

Register to be added to the map:tinyurl.com/Register4PMOTPD and you can join this amazing group of people ready to make some great music on the 26th!

What goes great with making music for young children? Reading stories!

And what’s even more fun is a friend of ours who’s created a youtube channel where she reads her favorite stories, complete with props, fun and lots of encouragement for kids. Check out Mrs. Shauna’s channel if you are looking for an online “story time” for your child and take a moment to read more about it’s founder here.

¡Hola! Daria and Friends!

Thank you for having me as your guest!

My name is Shauna Hibbitts creator of eNannylink.com, an online comprehensive tool on “Everything Childcare.” I’m a bilingual (English/Spanish) Early Childhood educator that empowers families, and promotes literacy while having a fiesta the entire time!

I recently added a Youtube channel called “Storytime With Mrs. Shauna” series for children, or the young at heart!! Here you see me ready to read “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie” by Laura Numeroff. I share short, funny stories for the entire family to enjoy. Mixing in a few sprinkles of questions, and activities in hopes of creating a wholesome experience for all. There are a few bilingual books on the channel as well. I love to introduce culture and celebrate diversity!

This updated post is part of our new series on learning simple songs in various languages. You can use these songs to build bilingualism or just to enjoy exploring a world of music with your kids!

of learning simple songs in Most parents who speak German recognize this silly song about a crocodile who lives in the Nile. The song, Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil, comes from an animated German TV Show called The Show With the Mouse(Die Sendung Mit der Maus). In the TV Show, Schnappi sings about his life in Egypt and the simple lyrics and incredibly catchy tune made the song an internet success as well as a pop hit in Germany, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands. In fact, this song actually reached Number 1 on the German music charts in January 2005!

Here’s how the song goes. Take a listen and I dare you not to be singing it for the rest of the day!

Lyrics For Schnappi in German

Ich bin Schnappi das kleine Krokodil,

komm aus Ägypten das liegt direkt am Nil.

Zuerst lag ich in einem Ei,

dann schni schna schnappte ich mich frei.

Schni schna schnappi

schnappi schnappi schnapp i

schni schna schnappi

schnappi schnappi schnappi

Ich bin Schnappi das kleine Krokodil,

hab scharfe Zähne und davon ganz schön viel.

Ich schnapp mir was ich schnappen kann,

ja schnapp zu weil ich das so gut kann.

Ich bin Schnappi das kleine Krokodil,

ich schnappe gern das ist mein Lieblingsspiel.

Ich schleich mich an die Mama ran,

und zeig ihr wie ich schnappen kann!

Ich bin Schnappi das kleine Krokodil,

und vom Schnappen da krieg ich nicht zuviel.

Ich beiss den Papi kurz ins Bein,

und dann, dann schlafe ich einfach ein.

Lyrics For Schnappi in English

What do the words mean? Here’s a good translation for this catchy song.

I am Schnappi the little crocodile.

I come from Egypt, it lies right on the Nile.

At first I lay in an egg,

Then I …schni- schna- snap myself free.

Schni Schna Schnappi

Schnappi Schnappi Schnapp

Schni Schna Schnappi

Schnappi Schnappi Schnapp

I am Schnappi the little crocodile,

I have sharp teeth and they are quiet pretty.

I hog what I can snap,

Yes I snap because I can do it so well.

Chorus

I am Schnappi the little crocodile,

I like to snap, it’s my favorite game.

I creep onto my mommy,

And show her how I can snap.

Chorus

I am Schnappi the little crocodile,

And because I’m snapping I don’t get there very much.

I briefly bite into my dad’s leg,

And then I easily shrink.

Chorus

Questions For Encouraging German Vocabulary

Here are some easy questions for using the song to discover new words and phrases in German or encourage bilingualism in your household.

What is Schnappi?

Is Schnappi big or little?

How do you say that in German?

What type of animal is Schnappi?

What does Schnappi do to his mother?

What does Schnappi do to his father?

What is Schnappi’s favorite game?

How do you say favorite game in German?

Can you name any other animals in German?

Kids Music Activities – In German And In Spanish

Would you like to read about children’s music and musical activities in German or in Spanish? Check out our sister blogs here:

Anyone who has experienced “down home” American folk music has probably heard a musician play the spoons. If you haven’t – then you’re in for a treat and check out the post below titled: “It’s So Easy to Play The Spoons!”

But, did you know that playing spoons as percussion is a part of traditional Russian folk music as well? Although the sound of the clicking and clacking of the spoons is similar, the Russian technique of playing adds a few really neat twists that put it in a league of it’s own!

Russian Spoons or Lozhki

Known as lozhki (Ло́жки), Russian musical spoons most often are the beautifully carved and decorated wooden spoons famous in that part of the world. Where American spoon players usually use two silver spoons in one hand, Russian players typically play three or more and use both hands. They can also put extra spoons in pockets or on their clothes and use them as extra percussion surfaces.

If you watch this video of a folk orchestra featuring a spoon player, you’ll see some pretty amazing hand (and foot) work!

In 2017, the Chinese Lunar New Year begins on January 28th and we welcome in the year of the fire rooster!

Over the past years, we’ve shared some of our favorite music crafts that are easy to make for all ages and use recycled and “on-hand” materials. This year we decided to do share our 3 most popular music crafts as well as share our favorite Chinese New Year Pinterest Board, so you can explore a world of great crafts, foods, books, games and activities and related Chinese New Year Kids activities.

So bang a gong, make a paper lantern,color a New Years greeting and celebrate a beautiful Chinese Lunar New Year!

I’m proud to be part of the Multicultural Kid Bloggers networks who hosts a Chinese New Year Pinterest board. Visit here for an ever-expanding collection of great crafts, activities, coloring pages, books, foods and more. Some of our favorite are the pretty paper lantern craft, fortune cookie activity, the Chinese zodiac matching cards and … so … much … more!

Have you read out enthusiastic review of our new favorite kid’s international songbook?

Well, we’re excited to say that – thanks to Mama Lisa’s World - we are giving away 2 digital copies of this amazing encyclopedia of 100 songs from diverse world cultures. That’s 352 awesome pages of songs, song descriptions, translations, sheet music and even details of how certain songs are used as games and activities.

“I have a little dreidel I made it out of clay And when it’s dry and ready A dreidel I will play.”

This wonderful little song is known all over the world. It tells the story of the little spinning top, called a dreidel (or dreydl) played at Hanukkah. Although it’s a toy and a game, the letters found on each face of the dreidel tell the beautiful and meaningful story of why Hanukkah is called the Holiday of Lights.

Whether you celebrate Hanukkah or not, playing the dreidel game, singing the song and learning about it’s background is an exciting part of sharing winter holidays with your family and community.

Who doesn’t love Raffi? He’s like the magic grandfather of children’s music.

Born in Cairo, Egypt, Raffi (Raffi Cavoukian) was making music for children long before there was a genre for that. And he did it with kindness, authenticity and a demonstrable love for the kids of the world.

Now, continuing his long string of music albums beloved by folks of all ages, there’s a new Raffi CD called Owl Singalong. And you can win a copy in our give-away right here!

This album is a wonderful blend of Raffi’s versions of classic kids songs such as “Somos El Barco” (We Are the Boat), The Garden Song (Inch By Inch, Row By Row) and The More We Sing Together (The Happier We’ll Be). Plus, there are his originals like Owl Singalong and Woo Hoo Could I Be? You guessed it, owl-themed musical fun. And every track gives you the sense that this multi-talented musician lives to share what he loves with children.

If you can’t wait to see if you’ve won the CD, the Amazon and Itunes purchase links are below. And please stay tuned. In an upcoming post we want to tell you more about Raffi’s advocacy for kids and his Covenent for Honouring Children. He has some wise and powerful things to say about kids, commercialism and changing the world to a more meaningful place for children – and all human beings too!

Children’s nursery rhymes are a wonderful way to bond with your child. They are perfect for sharing and encouraging a second language and also for parents who may feel shy about singing to their child.

We are excited to have this first guest post in our Children’s Rhymes From Around The World Series contributed by Linda Lopez-Stone. Her blog, Hispanic Mama, Empowering Through Heritage And Language, can be found at the links below.

My favorite time of the year in Ecuador is winter. This is the season when families visit the beach and kids spend more time playing outdoors since schools are closed. Because of the country’s location, winters in the coastal area of Ecuador are hot and rainy.

I remember how the rain felt as the perfect combination for those hot afternoons of outdoor play with the kids of the neighborhood. As soon as we started feeling the first drops of water, we would sing with joy: “¡ Que llueva! ¡ Que llueva!” (Let it rain! Let it rain!)

The rain was also very welcomed by the farmers. It meant that their cosechas (crops) were going to be lucrative. This was especially important for a country where a considerable portion of its economy was dependent on agriculture. I bet the farmers were also singing with excitement: “¡ Que llueva! ¡ Que llueva!”

Although I do not live in Ecuador anymore, I still get excited when I see the first signs of the rain. It symbolizes the joy of my childhood and reminds me of the hope of many people in Ecuador. The rain would always make me happy!

Let it Rain – English Lyrics
Let it rain! Let it rain!
The Quetzal is in the cave.
Let it rain! Let it rain!
The Quetzal is in the cave
The little birds are singing
The clouds rise up.
Oh yes, oh no
Let there be a downpour
Oh yes, oh no
Let there be a downpour

Here’s a version of Que Llueva that adds 5 extra verses. It starts with the quetzal bird in the cave and then adds verses with a condor, a turtle, a snake, a llama and a deer! The repetition is wonderful for learning the song and building vocabulary in Spanish.

- Linda López-Stone Linda is a Latina millennial mom and a bilingual writer sharing stories about bicultural and bilingual life in Raleigh, NC. Discover her blog at: http://hispanicmama.com/

Autumn is such a great time to take a nature walk with your child! Maybe you have a wooded backyard or a park nearby? Or perhaps there is a natural area near your home where you can enjoy the changing seasons.

As you take a walk in nature, look for any stick or small branch that’s formed in the shape of a “Y”. If you find one, you can take it home and make a wonderful little musical instrument that actually dates back to ancient Egypt.

What Is A Sistrum

Sistrums are rattles that are found all over the world. This clever little percussion instrument starts with some sort of forked object and then has a string or wire running between the two forks. On the strings or wires are objects that rattle and clank, making a lovely noise when shook back and forth. In ancient Egypt, sistrums was used as part of the Pharaoh’s court and can even be seen pictured in hieroglyphics!

Once you’ve found a sturdy stick or branch that’s shaped like the letter “Y”, you might want to take a bit of sandpaper and sand down any rough edges. Then take the sturdy twine or floral wire and secure it to one side of the “Y”. Now add any of rattling objects and hold the wire in place without wrapping it on the other side. Check to see if you like the sound it creates. If you do, then wrap the wire or twine securely in place. If not, experiment with adding or removing objects to get the sound you like.

Here’s a hint, less objects often make a more pleasing sound!

Add extra strings of noise-makers if you like.

Making It Unique

After creating the noise-making part of the rattle, you may wish to decorate the handle or the sides with colorful yarn, woven bands, electrical tape or even painting or adding other decorations. This is a very open-ended project and you can be very creative with it!

Learn About The History Of The Sistrum

If you want to tie this project into a study of world cultures, you can check out the Ancient Instruments of the Middle East kids music mini-course. Or simply have fun with the Egyptian coloring page. Links and other resources are below. Happy crafting and music-making!